Climate change continues to pose challenges for farmers, from waterlogged fields to prolonged summer droughts, these factors challenge traditional cycles, nutrient management, and crop production.

These shifts alter all crops’ ability for nutrient uptake, increase losses through leaching or volatilisation, and change traditional work windows, making ‘one size fits all’ nutrient plans increasingly inefficient.

According to DEFRA’s Climate Change and Agriculture report, shifting rainfall patterns and extreme weather events are increasing the urgency for more efficient agricultural nutrient management methods in the UK.

In an era of heightened scrutiny on agricultural emissions and regulatory requirements, getting fertiliser management right is both a business and an environmental necessity for farmers.

Adjusting fertiliser plans to match changing conditions can help protect margins, safeguard soil health, and reduce the risk of nutrient losses that harm watercourses.

How to adapt nutrient management to changing climate challenges

Adopting efficient and adaptable nutrient management techniques is essential to help farmers optimise fertiliser use, boost soil health, and reduce environmental impact.

Four key strategies that can help farmers improve soil quality and boost crop productivity are:

• Soil testing: Regular soil testing allows farmers to understand the unique nutrient needs of each field, enabling precise, tailored fertiliser applications for optimal crop growth.
• Organic matter: Incorporating compost and manure helps reduce synthetic fertiliser use, enhances nutrient cycling, cuts emissions, and improves long-term soil fertility.
• Crop rotation: Prevents nutrient depletion, breaks pest cycles, and promotes healthier soils, reducing the need for fertiliser inputs and improving farm resilience.
• Cover cropping: Improves soil structure, increases water retention, and adds organic matter, contributing to more sustainable farming systems that are better suited to the challenges of climate change.

Read more about how integrating organic fertilisers with precision techniques can improve nitrogen efficiency in AHDB’s guide to nutrient management.

Fertiliser efficiency benefits

Adapting fertiliser use to meet crop specific needs under changing climate conditions can help farmers maintain or even boost yields, while minimising environmental impact.

Precision fertiliser application enables farmers to deliver nutrients more effectively, reducing nitrogen losses and improving crop uptake.

This tailored approach  not only improves soil health and water quality but also provides economic returns, such as reduced fertiliser costs and increased yield resilience.

With ongoing support from initiatives like DEFRA’s Future Farming and Innovation Fund, farmers are better equipped to integrate precision tools and sustainable fertiliser solutions into their practices, future-proofing their operations against climate-related challenges.

Learn more about improving fertiliser efficiency in our guide to soil nutrient supply.

Optimising nutrient uptake with precise fertiliser application  

Nutrient applications can be tailored to individual areas of ground, using soil tests to identify deficiencies.

Variable rate fertiliser application (VRA) adjusts fertiliser application rates based on soil fertility and plant responses. Using this technology, farmers can apply the right amount of fertiliser to each area based on this information.

Applying fertilisers in this way ensures nutrients are distributed efficiently across a field, only where required, reducing waste and environmental impacts.